Expat interest in politics in Vietnam

robvan wrote:

@Colinoscapee:

       "Thailand is a Kingdom, Viet Nam is not, so very different."

Not really, in VN you can end up in jail for criticising or disparaging the party, in Thailand for criticising or disparaging the monarchy. Same difference.

But indeed, it's wise to refrain from political comments in public in VN, and that includes online. That may be hard, as I found out when I was managing a team of young Vietnamese who were invariably critical but exercised their Confucian deferral to authority. Friends of mine in Australia urged me to start a blog about my life in Saigon, but I thought the better of it lest it jeapordise my resident status.

As for voting in one's home country (the second part of the original question), as an Australian I can vote at the consulate-general in Saigon or the embassy in Hanoi -- just turn up with your passport and all is sweet on the spot. Not sure how that works for USA citizens, who have the added complication of state and federal tax returns on foreign income even if it's not repatriated to the States.

With my Dutch passport however (I have dual nationality), voting on the spot is only possible in Singapore and a few other places, not in VN. Here I had to apply online at the last elections and wait for the necessary documentaton to arrive *in the mail*.

Needless to say, the mail documentation never arrived. The only mail that ever arrived in five years consisted of a couple of birthday cards and vacation postcards from my sister. With more 'involved' mail, the VN-post censors may have considered the contents too complicated so it ended up in the circular file (i.e. the trash can or forget drawer). I suspect the same applied to my Australian police check (twice) and university certificate, which I needed for my work permit. I finally ended up getting them on a visit back to Melbourne.

Governments and monarchies are totally different. The question was about politics, not monarchies.

You are right to a certain point...Trump can't be fully blamed for the turn around on International Law, His dis-like to NATO and sucking up to Israel, Russia, N. Korea, Turkey and others instead of keeping with the International agreements signed (which this fraud does not approve of or believes in).  The People who placed this fraud into the White House are the ones responsible...the blame can also be placed on the Democratic Party for nominating another 'looser' that has been such for decades...Hillary as someone to place into the White House.  Neither one of these two should have ever been nominated for the spot.

I can fully understand how Mr Trump is polarizing politics, but perhaps we can leave that out before the Trump factor, love him or hate him, causes arguments here.

Your last paragraph statement is a good one...45 years ago I never thought I'd be living here, yet another reason why I came here almost 16 years ago.  I take pride in assisting those who desire to go abroad (for what ever their true feelings are) .  Many things are discussed, but putting down their government is not one of them...comments have been made regarding the 'lack of democracy' and the usual having to 'buy' their way into a job is often mentioned.  It is something that is discussed in regards to 'working' in the US, along with placing a 20 or 50 into the hands of a police officer along with their drivers license and registration..."A No..NO" in the US.
It is their Country and their responsibility to either exist with what is or return and contribute to increased developement.   I do not believe in or have faith in any government...and I state such to anyone who asks about such.

Anthony64 wrote:

You are right to a certain point...Trump can't be fully blamed for the turn around on International Law, His dis-like to NATO and sucking up to Israel, Russia, N. Korea, Turkey and others instead of keeping with the International agreements signed (which this fraud does not approve of or believes in).  The People who placed this fraud into the White House are the ones responsible...the blame can also be placed on the Democratic Party for nominating another 'looser' that has been such for decades...Hillary as someone to place into the White House.  Neither one of these two should have ever been nominated for the spot.

Some people do understands politics, and some dont..same way as some people understands art, or emotions etc.

You sir, do not understand politics :-)

Fred wrote:

I can fully understand how Mr Trump is polarizing politics, but perhaps we can leave that out before the Trump factor, love him or hate him, causes arguments here.

Seems the problem is with us. Perhaps I could ask members to avoid insulting posts.

colinoscapee wrote:

Governments and monarchies are totally different. The question was about politics, not monarchies.

Isn't monarchy one of the forms of political organization?  Politics does not necessarily mean voting.

Fred wrote:

I can fully understand how Mr Trump is polarizing politics, but perhaps we can leave that out before the Trump factor, love him or hate him, causes arguments here.

Didn't forum management open this can of worms when they started a thread entitled "Expat interest in politics in Vietnam"?

THIGV wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

Governments and monarchies are totally different. The question was about politics, not monarchies.

Isn't monarchy one of the forms of political organization?  Politics does not necessarily mean voting.

Monarchies generally dont have a say in the dsy to day running of a country. So, to answer your question....No.

In a monarchy, the politics is about who gets to advise the king.  Except in a few very small principalities, very few monarchies are absolute.  Since the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, the nobility of Norman England had some say in how the nation has been run.  Asian monarchies historically based on Confucian principles vested considerable influence on a nobility.  Monarchies may  or may not have a universal franchise and elections but they nearly always have some kind of political system.

Reputedly the current occupant of the US Presidency is often swayed by whoever talks to him last, so control over how his schedule is arranged is a lot like monarchical politics.  As an Australian, you may not follow the details but the office of Chief of Staff is particularly critical with this president and he is on his third in three years.

I can vote online for my home country.
I’ve been forewarned by Expats not to talk politics while in Vietnam. It isn’t my home country and I certainly don’t want trouble in a Communist country.

I agree.

Governments and monarchies are totally different. The question was about politics, not monarchies.

Thailand is not really a monarchie.

It is ruled by the Army. The King has little to no influence. The “monarchie” is still there just to keep the tradition and people calm

Dan911 wrote:

Governments and monarchies are totally different. The question was about politics, not monarchies.

Thailand is not really a monarchie.

It is ruled by the Army. The King has little to no influence. The “monarchie” is still there just to keep the tradition and people calm

Yes, hence my post.

As Expats living and working in Vietnam, /China, stay away as much as I can from all the political conversation, particularly in Vietnam primarily with Vietnamese people.

Ahmed993 wrote:

As Expats living and working in Vietnam, /China, stay away as much as I can from all the political conversation, particularly in Vietnam primarily with Vietnamese people.

...and since you posted a few minutes ago, I can no longer access expatDOTcom from my ISP in Vietnam.

However, using NordVPN I can access through a U.S. ISP.

So at the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I wonder if some of the unbridled comments denigrating Vietnamese people and the country of Vietnam (which are sprinkled throughout the Forum here) have finally caused the government to block access to this site from within Vietnam.

It's really not a huge stretch of the imagination

I can still access it.

colinoscapee wrote:

I can still access it.

I can too now.

It just seems strange that I couldn't get it on my home ISP but then using the nordvpn through the same connection it worked quickly.

I probably am a conspiracy theorist

I would readily discuss my homeland political landscape. I think it's best, prudent for expats in Vietnam to avoid discussion regarding politics there. Besides my own experience, research, knowledge.. what have you, this is the universal advice I have been given by my numerous Viet native friends. Just my two cents.

I now see the discussion has progressed beyond the original topic...disregard my remark in that case. May have been addressed previously. Cheers.

In one of my 8th grade classes, the top one in the school, I once proposed "What can we do to make life better in Vietnam" as an English conversation starter.  I naively was expecting things like eliminating pollution of the rivers as answers.  The first boy who raises his hand says "We need to get rid of the Communist Party" with which every student in the class seemed to agree.  You can imagine my mortification.  I managed to turn it around to less controversial topics but I certainly didn't want any of the administration walking in just then.  I could imagine myself being deported for counter-revolutionary activity.   

Bhavna wrote:

Can expats vote during elections which take place in their country of origin? Can you do so online or through embassies/consulates in Vietnam?

What is the administrative process which has been set up in Vietnam to enable expats to vote in their country of origin?

I received this today in an email from the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi:

☆U.S.☆Embassy☆ wrote:

Voting 2020 – U.S. Embassy Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (June 5, 2020)

Location: Vietnam

Important Information for U.S. Citizens: Returning Your Completed, Signed Ballot

Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not.  If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or diplomatic pouch via U.S Embassy, Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General, Ho Chi Minh City.

If you are sending your ballot through the U.S. Embassy, Hanoi diplomatic pouch, ballots can be dropped off at the American Citizen Services unit Monday through Thursday, between 1pm and 4pm.

Ballots may be dropped off at the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City every other Wednesday morning between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (Please see our website for date details.)

Ballots must be placed in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. domestic postage so they may be delivered to the proper local election authorities. 

Please note that all visitors to the U.S. Embassy are subject to security screening and you may not be permitted to bring electronic devices, including cell phones, inside the facility. 

Please note that it can take up to four weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent through the Embassy or Consulate.  All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly.

As we get closer to the November 2020 U.S. elections, please feel free to contact U.S. Embassy, Hanoi Voting Assistance Officer via email at VoteHanoi(at)state dot gov and VoteHoChiMinhCity(at)state dot gov‎ for voting materials and information.

To learn more, please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP dot gov. 

Primary election dates are found here: https://www.fvap.gov/guide/appendix/sta … -elections.